6^4 Journal of AgricuUure. [lo Oct., 19 io. 



Treatment. 



" Unle.ss in the earliest stages, curative treatment is of no value. If 

 exhibiting the first symptoms a strong dose of Epsom salts may be of some 

 assistance, but when evidences of insensibility have set in medicines are of 

 little utility, and the attention of the owner is better directed to preventing 

 the recurrence of the disease amongst the remainder of the flock. 



Prevention. 



" This is fortunately a simple matter. When in-lamb ewes have come 

 through the winter well, and especially if they have be^n fed on dry and 

 artificial food, a careful outlook .should be kept for the first evidences of 

 the disease. I recommend strongly that such ewes should be kept 

 comparatively bare of feed during the last month of pregnancy, or, rather, 

 on such pasture that they require to travel for their food, and thus obtain 

 each day that amount of exercise necessary to their complete health. 

 Should, however, this not have been possible, immediately on the appear- 

 ance of the disease in the flock prompt measures should Ije taken. I find 

 that the best preventive measure is to muster the ewes carefully once a day 

 towards midday, and travel them for a distance of half a mile to a mile 

 to some young succulent pasture, as, for instance, young oats, or even 

 clean young spring grass. Permit them to depasture thereon for an hour, 

 and return the flock afterwards to the original paddock. This treatment 

 is at once simple and effective. The exercise produces that stimulus to the 

 n'u.scles and to the liver which is wanted, and the limited quantity of 

 stimulating food acts on the alimentary tract and so relie\es that tendency 

 to constipation which is usually present. 



"As to the effect of this preventive treatment, especially the benefit of 

 the exercise combined with the stimulating young feed, I have received the 

 testimony of many .sheep-farmers. They have found that on following 

 out this procedure the appearance of further cases immediately cea.sed, 

 ;ind now thev are able to look forward to the lambing .sea.son with equa- 

 nimity." 



The disease is in no way contagious, is not due to any specific microbe, 

 but simply arises from a disturbance of physiological functions consequent 

 cii the excessive deposition of fat within the liver. A certain amount of 

 fat is found normally within the liver cells towards the termination of the 

 period of gestation, and it is only when it becomes excessive and abnormal 

 in amount that it may l)e termed a diseased condition. 



The cases which occurred in Victoria were investigated by Mr. J. 

 Lyons. M.R.C.V.S., of the Stock and Dairy Supervision Branch of the 

 Department of Agriculture, who had had considerable experience of similar 

 cases while in New Zealand. The following are the particulars as .sup- 

 plied bv him when sending portions of liver to me for microscopical 

 examination, which showed the cells to be almost entirelv converted into 

 fat: — 



'■' Re Specimens of Sheep's liver forwarded for your examination. The 



following is a history of the ca.se. At Messrs. 's request I visited 



their farm and found that 8 or 10 ewes had died within a fortnight pre- 

 vious to my arrival and 4 or 5 others were in a dying condition. The 

 animals were pure bred Shrop-shires. 



I made a post-nior'tcm examination on an animal that had been dead 

 for 24 hours and also on two others which I had slaughtered for the pur- 

 pose, The posi-morleni appearances were identical in each case. The 



